Potential criminal charges stem from city marshal’s actions in ongoing public records litigation with The Independent.

For his contempt of court hearing in March, Marshal Brian Pope entered the Lafayette Parish Courthouse with his weapon, a violation of state law for law enforcement officials who are a party to any court proceeding.

In November, this newspaper filed suit against the city marshal after he refused to turn over emails related to a bizarre Oct. 7 press conference in which Pope, who supported Scott Police Chief Chad Leger in the race for Lafayette Parish sheriff, was critical of Leger’s then-opponent and eventual winner, Mark Garber. Pope delivered the attack on Garber from a podium in his office carrying the marshal’s seal and flanked by four deputies who, records show, were on the clock. It is illegal for an elected official to use the authority of his office or his position to support or oppose the election of a candidate for political office. Pope would eventually go on to give conflicting testimony about numerous aspects of the press conference, all of which did not sit well with District Judge Jules Edwards.

Public records later obtained by The IND also appear to point to further misconduct by the city marshal, another possible area of investigation for the grand jury. Read more on that matter here and here.

Marshal Pope and The IND are due back in court on the civil litigation on Aug. 22.

KATC reported that Pope was seen leaving the courthouse Wednesday while the grand jury was still in session but noted that it is unknown whether he testified.